Portiere-type cover for dumping bodies



Feb. 17, 1931.

Filed June 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 17, 1931. E. WILLIAMS PORTIERE TYPE COVER FOR DUMPING BODIES Filed June 22. 1928 2.5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 y 3 2 /0 ,o 7 M 1 ..HMIIHHHUIIIII 4 llllllll Il llll .F :1I :11h11 hmmm FLIP/ulti?. n n D wHHHHHHHIIHMHUHUM. M 7 zu .k 2. v L u I TT V U 1 A Il llrll llll l1 vue, |1111. '|||.|U..||| ./Qlll:

l -1 ll Patented Feb. ,17,v 1931 LERoYjn. WILLIAMS, or'nnennron, WISCONSIN, AssIGNoR rro HIGHWAY TRAILER v vPATEmi`olf'firlciai3 f COMPANY, OFVEDGERT01\IWISGONSIN, A CORLEOIE'LA'.ITION 0F WISCONSIN roR'IIREL'rYPEcovER ron :DUMPING :BonIEsl Application led: June 2,2,

rlhis invention has to do with dump body vehicles of the type designed for tilting or rolling laterally .for discharging'a load, and more particularly :to covering means for enclosing the load-carrying space Lof. the body. The' primary object of the present invention `is to provide'a coverofimproved, simplied construction which fmay be economically manufactured. AnotherV object is to provide covering means of flexible material arranged to be longitudinally extended over the loadcarrying A space ofthe body or disposed in compact format one end ofthe body to permit free vand unrestricted dumping action ofk thebody .when it is tilted to either side for discharging its load. A further object of this invention is to provide a cover consisting of two or more flexible cover sections each `adapted to enclose asubstantial portion of Y ing the present invention.

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Figure 2 isa Jfragmentary view in side elevation with parts vbroken away to show details of construction` and for condensation of the view.

j Figure?) is a cross-sectional'lview'through the cover and supporttaken as indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in elevation showing the manner of supporting the cover.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view lookingat the inside of one'of thecover sections which is provided with anend flap.

` .Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken at line, 6-6, on Figure 5. Y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing details of Construction.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown my invention as applied to an upwardly open vehicle body indicated at.1',which`is provided with the usual curved rockers', 2,

` present inventio other.

Y192e. serieu No. 287,455.1'

mounted on transverse crossy rails, 3, of the vehicle frame. These partsvare of conven-V tional design especially suitedto vehicle construction wherein the body isrolled toward either side and thus ..tilted Ifor discharging its load. As will be noted from the drawings, the covers for the body are supported independently thereof so as not to, in any manner, alter its center of gravity thus insuring proper dumping action;y It is to be understood that the vehicle is provided with the u sual mechanism for locking the body invupvright position, anda detail description thereof is unnecessary as it forms no part of theV A pair of upwardly extending A-frames, 4, are mounted on the vehicle 'frame adjacent the opposite ends of the body. These frames preferably are castings and are each provided with integral, centrally disposed, upwardly open sockets, 5, which are offset longitudinally of the vehicle. In these sockets areremovably mounted vertical uprights, 6, which are detachably fixed in place by set screws, 7. On the upper ends ofthe uprights, 6, are removably mounted brackets, 8, which support /apair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending ridge :poles 9, above the load-carrying spaceof the body. The brackets, .8,

lareof goose-neck formation and are odset rights, 6, as shown in Figure 2. Set screws,

10, are provided for removably securing the brackets, 8, in place on the uprightsfso that the overhead structure may be removed `from the body at two separate places, i. e., by bodily l removing the uprights, 6,-with`the overhead structure frompthe socket, V5, by releasing set screws, 7,7or by removing the brackets-"i8, with the overhead structure from the upper ends of the uprights,.6, on releasing the set screws, 10.

Separate covers are provided for each hside of the body, supported on the respective ridge poles and operative independently of each It will be understood that `the cover for each side of the body may be of a single section, or may be made up in a plurality of sections, whichever is desirable or more conleo venient for a particular size and style of body. The covers, herein indicated at 12, are of flexible sheet material such as canvas, the entire marginal edges of which are partially stiflened or reinforced by suitable materialV such as rope, or, as herein indicated, narrow fabric straps, 13. Each of the covers is provided with a plurality of transversely extending reinforcing straps, 14, the upper ends of which are folded back upon'v themselves to'form'loops in which are held rings, 15, of Dshape. Each of these rings, 15, is detachably engageable with the hook portion, 16, of a ring, 17, which is of S-shape formation and is slidably mounted on the ridge pole, 9, so that the covers may be. quickly and easily extended over the load-carrying space of the body or hunched in compact form at one end of the body as shown at the left hand portion of Figure 2; thus the covers will be completely clear of the body when the same is to be rolled laterally for dumping its load. Thealternate transverse reinforcements, 141, are provided with extensions, 19, which depend beyond the lower edge of the cover and are detachably engaged by friction buckles, 20, secured to the body for drawing the flexible covers taut and retaining them in position when they are extended over the loadcarrying space of the body. It will be seen that the cover construction is such that, in no case is there a direct pull on the flexible cover proper, the strain being taken by the reinforcements, 13 and 14; and when the cover is secured in closed position the pull on the extensions, 19, is transmitted directly through to the straps, 14, and supporting rings to the ridge poles.

The outer ends of the covers are provided with end flaps, 22, designed to enclose the opening between the cover proper and the ends of the body, as shown in Figure 1. `These flaps are each provided with flexible tying members, such as ropes, 23, for securing together the flaps of the opposite cover sections, on the outside of the upright, 6, thus completing the enclosure of the body. These ropes also serve for tying the covers in gathered form to the uprights, 6.

Extending centrally of and longitudinally over the ridge poles in registration with the space between them is a shed member, 25, having end supports, 26, removably mounted in brackets, 8, by means of set screws, 27, as shown in Fig. 7. As may be seen, the shed member is supported above and in spaced relation to the ridge poles to permit free movement of the S-rings, while serving` to complete the body closure.

It will be clear that the overhead structure may be removed bodily or in portions, from the body, as desired. By constructing the cover-supporting structure in this manner the parts may be freely handled and the cover structure may be readily and completely taken down when not in use. Frequently this type of vehicle is permitted to remain out-of doors for long periods and in order not to subject the canvas cover to unnecessary weathering, it is therefore particularly desirable to be able to quickly remove it from the vehicle. This may be easily accomplished by merely disengaging the rings, 15, from the hooks, 16. As may be seen from Figure l, the overheadV structure is mounted sufiiciently high above the body to permit the same to be tilted without obstruction to either side for discharging its load,-'the path of travel of one edge of body being indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

l claim 1. In combination, an upwardly open body having sidewalls and end Walls, and mounted for tilting in a direction parallel to said end walls, a bar extending above the body from end to end and supported independently thereof and a flexible cover dimensioned to extend from the bar to one side of the body with attaching devices connecting said cover to the bar at intervals and slidable on said bar to permit gatheringthe cover; said bar having a portion which extends beyond one end of the body sufficiently to accommodate the gathered cover at a position clear of said body to avoid interference with the tilting movement of the latter.

2. In combination, an upwardly open body having side walls and end walls and mounted for tilting in a direction parallel to said end walls, a ridge pole extending above the middle of the body from end to end and supported independently thereof and a ilexible cover dimensioned to extend slopingly from the ridge pole to one side of the body with attaching devices connecting said cover to the ridge pole at intervals and slidable on said ridge pole to permit gathering the cover; said ridge pole having a portion which extends beyond one end of the body sufficient -lyto accommodate the gathered cover at a `positionclear of said body to avoid interference with the tilting movement of the latter.

3. In combination, an upwardly open body having side walls and end walls and mounted for tilting in a direction parallel to said end walls, a bar extending above the body from end to end and supported independently thereof and a plurality of flexible cover sections dimensioned to extend beyond the bar to one side of the body with attaching devices connecting said covers to the bar at intervals and slidable on the bar to permit gathering the cover sections; said bar extending beyond both ends of the body suiiciently to accommodate half of the sectional cover in gathered form clear of said body to avoid interference with the tilting movement of the latter.

4. In combination, an upwardly open body having sidewalls and end Walls and mounted for tilting in a Vdirection parallellto said end Walls to either fside of its middle loa-d carrying position, a ldouble ridge pole extending abovethe body fromend to end and supported independently thereof and flexible covers dimensioned to extend slopingly from the ridge poles respectively to opposite sides of the body with attaching devices connecting Said Covers to the ridge-poles ati-intervals and slidable thereon to permit gathering of the covers; said ridge poles having portions which extend beyond the end of the body sufficiently to accommodate the gathered y covers in position clear of the body to permit v tilting the latter in either direction.

5, In the combination defined in claim 1 the support for the bar being engaged there- With at the eXtreme end of its extending pori tion leaving the bar clear for sliding of the point beyond the end of Y curtain thereon to a the body.

LEROY E. WILLIAMS. 

